I was delighted when Mayawati managed to attract people from all communities to vote for her BSP and spoke of SARVAJANA HITH (development & prosperity for all). Forget about her beinng a Dalit, she put paid to the casteist and divisive politics of both the Samajwadi Pparty of Mulayam and the BJP. The Congress of course is a spent force in UP. She is danger of losing all the support & goodwill of the people of UP if she dosent deliver results. She may argue that she had to undo a large part of the damage the corrupt Mulayam regime right from the police recruitment scam to the questionable land deals. But instead of big bashes, jumborees and tokenism like building Ambedkar parks and installing Kanshi Ram statues, she needs to focus on core issues like infrastructure development, healthcare, education, law & Order, Power, etc. The caste lobbies will otherwise come roaring back and take UP politics back to square one. She also needs to guard against sycophants who will exploit their closeness to her. She definitly holds out promise but there is a long long way to go. I pray something similar to the Mayawati phenomenon happens in Karnataka which has descended into an absolute morass of caste based politics. But the real tragedy would be if Mayawati squanders the mandate that she has been given by the people of UP. Empowerment does not come by just building monuments or entering temples. Empowerment comes from economic development, access to modern education, Transportation facilit
RE:Mayawati has potential but danger lurks
by Jai Babu on May 13, 2008 05:50 PM Permalink
Empowerment does not come by just building monuments or entering temples. Empowerment comes from economic development, access to modern education, Transportation facilities to markets for labour work or products in urban areas, access to healthcare and building awareness of laws & fundamental rights as laid down by the Law. Caste explotation of the poor & backward is very closely linked to economic & educational parameters. This society respects people with money or economic muscle. Any economically empowered backward community will automatically develop political might and relevance which can end exploitation. All these statues and grand memorials are mere tokenism and only useful to the birds like Crows & Pigeons who perch and shit on each one of them. A small PHC or school is thousand times more valuable than a statue or memorial
RE:Mayawati has potential but danger lurks
by Jai Babu on May 13, 2008 05:56 PM Permalink
In fact one of Mayawati's biggest blunders has been the refusal to Reliance Fresh. Reliance Fresh for example could have cut through the chain of middlemen/dealers in agricultural produce of the poor farmers and labourers ensuring they get a fair price and return on their investment & labour. Another thing is the sudden wealth and property she and her family members are now flaunting. Else like a certain Jayalalitha who was MGR's political heir squandered almost 90% of her popularity due to her arrogance, imperious behaviousr and allegations of huge corruption, Mayawati should stay firmly rooted in the spirit of service to the downtrodden who have now brought her to the throne of UP!!
